Wow, very neat, and impressive! I preform my students' first stone, a SRB, by hand just like you show. It really makes a big difference in the time it takes them to cut their first stone. Preforming generally assures that the cut will be symmetrical, allows more time to focus on the process of meet-point-faceting, and reduces faceting frustrations. I usually use white CZ for the first 10-12 mm stone and they are flabbergasted when they see their stone the first time out of the dop. Most of my students typically only cut a few stones and then they happily move on to other club activities. Our club is non-profit in Sun City Center, Florida.
Thanks Ted. Getting that culet centered can be real tricky. I use an older MDR faceting machine to do my hand faceting but this machine has really helped in getting the stone setup. I could facet an entire stone with it, but it is more of a commercial grade finish when it is done. There is just no replacement for the feel, eye and ear of a hand cutter. If I do hand preforms, they will have a curved profile which works better. I use a Diamond Pacific genie. On this machine, I usually go a little further than the video shows and do a series of small steps. It has its limits but it has been fun to tinker with.
@@earthartgems Thanks Austin, I preform stones on our club's V2 Ultra Tec machines. We have four machines that were not being used when I became active in the club 12 years ago. The club was founded in 1983 and they bought at least one V2 at that time because I found the paper work. I found one of the machines in a cabinet a began faceting about 10 years. The rumor was that back in 1996, the faceting folks got in an argument with the club's board over money and quit the club leaving the four machines hidden away in cabinets. Over the past 10 years that I've been faceting and teaching faceting, I've found it difficult to find club members who are longer term facetors or are willing to make a commitment to teaching. I'm still hoping that I can find folks that will carry on the knowledge of faceting before I get too old and the machines get hidden again in cabinets or sold. When I preform, I place the V2 in free rotation at 90 degrees on a 100 grit lap that I run full speed with a light touch. I typically preform synthetic stones to a standard setting size of 10 or 12 mm so they are easy to set. I usually finish off the preform on a 600 grit lap at high speed. It's easy to see the problems by watching the movement of the angle gauge and looking at the reflected light off the stone as you rotate it, you can see the reflection jump if there are irregularities. I preform my student's first stone so they can see the results of their work without becoming too discouraged or frustrated.
@@tedboydston8978 Wow, you have 4 V2's? That is a wonderful opportunity for your club and its members. I like your technique of preforming. My old MDR does not have any of those features. I myself am not a professional faceter. I am a jeweler. That said, taking up faceting as a side hobby has really helped me to appreciate a good cut when I see it, and to better understand pricing and time constraints from the pro's that I do hire from time to time. Overall it has made me a better jeweler, collector, rock hound etc.... I'd encourage anyone in the trade or hobbyist to give it a try for a year to develop an appreciation for a sill that we have all taken for granted (given the prices of cheaply cut semi precious stones) In many ways, trying to develop this machine has also really showed me all the nuances of faceting that I don't even think about when cutting a stone by hand. How do you go about preforming your squares or other shapes that cannot simply be rotated freely?
This makes me smile : ) exactly what I envisioned about a year ago trying to learn how to facet gemstones myself. I even bought a digital protractor to attach to my setup so I could more clearly see the angle. Wild to have an idea then find someone that had the same idea and achieved a working final product. : ) too many times I’ve had an idea and a few months later the product comes to life.
Yeah, I think you and I are on a similar path. This project has some what stalled as I ran out of time to work on it but I saw your email and I'll send you a reply as soon as I have some pare time.
Very cool! Suggestions: never start the lap with the stone touching. The stone must sweep the lap. The process must be quicker than a human can do it. Awesome work.
Brilliant DIY! I'm interested in more details, including the motor / electronics you have under the base platform. If you have some links / web site / FB page to share I'd love to ask more questions if possible.
Thanks! I do have a playlist for this machine with 4 videos to date. I think the 2nd one shows some of the guts of the machine. The first video also has links in the description to all of the major components used in the machine. The entire project is constantly changing and I post these videos more of a journal than anything else. I am actually a professional jeweler and building this machine pretty much tapped out my mental recourses when it comes to engineering and electronics... But it has been a fun journey so far. If you wanted to contact me directly, my website has my contact info on it here: earthartgems.com/pages/contact-us At the bottom of that page are also links to all my social media pages. I'll be happy to answer any questions you have.
Impressive job, although I suppose one issue would be that it doesn't flow across the lap at all during cutting... I suppose that would pre maturely wear out the lap, no doubt.
I invented this machine from scratch. I have about 5 videos in this series on it. I later sold it to Ryan, owner of www.merlinsgembot.com/ He then took it and has greatly improved the design, adding all sorts of new features and is currently selling them. I think he might be doing a pre-order sale.
Wow, very neat, and impressive! I preform my students' first stone, a SRB, by hand just like you show. It really makes a big difference in the time it takes them to cut their first stone. Preforming generally assures that the cut will be symmetrical, allows more time to focus on the process of meet-point-faceting, and reduces faceting frustrations. I usually use white CZ for the first 10-12 mm stone and they are flabbergasted when they see their stone the first time out of the dop. Most of my students typically only cut a few stones and then they happily move on to other club activities. Our club is non-profit in Sun City Center, Florida.
Thanks Ted. Getting that culet centered can be real tricky. I use an older MDR faceting machine to do my hand faceting but this machine has really helped in getting the stone setup. I could facet an entire stone with it, but it is more of a commercial grade finish when it is done. There is just no replacement for the feel, eye and ear of a hand cutter. If I do hand preforms, they will have a curved profile which works better. I use a Diamond Pacific genie. On this machine, I usually go a little further than the video shows and do a series of small steps. It has its limits but it has been fun to tinker with.
@@earthartgems Thanks Austin, I preform stones on our club's V2 Ultra Tec machines. We have four machines that were not being used when I became active in the club 12 years ago. The club was founded in 1983 and they bought at least one V2 at that time because I found the paper work. I found one of the machines in a cabinet a began faceting about 10 years. The rumor was that back in 1996, the faceting folks got in an argument with the club's board over money and quit the club leaving the four machines hidden away in cabinets. Over the past 10 years that I've been faceting and teaching faceting, I've found it difficult to find club members who are longer term facetors or are willing to make a commitment to teaching. I'm still hoping that I can find folks that will carry on the knowledge of faceting before I get too old and the machines get hidden again in cabinets or sold.
When I preform, I place the V2 in free rotation at 90 degrees on a 100 grit lap that I run full speed with a light touch. I typically preform synthetic stones to a standard setting size of 10 or 12 mm so they are easy to set. I usually finish off the preform on a 600 grit lap at high speed. It's easy to see the problems by watching the movement of the angle gauge and looking at the reflected light off the stone as you rotate it, you can see the reflection jump if there are irregularities. I preform my student's first stone so they can see the results of their work without becoming too discouraged or frustrated.
@@tedboydston8978 Wow, you have 4 V2's? That is a wonderful opportunity for your club and its members. I like your technique of preforming. My old MDR does not have any of those features. I myself am not a professional faceter. I am a jeweler. That said, taking up faceting as a side hobby has really helped me to appreciate a good cut when I see it, and to better understand pricing and time constraints from the pro's that I do hire from time to time. Overall it has made me a better jeweler, collector, rock hound etc.... I'd encourage anyone in the trade or hobbyist to give it a try for a year to develop an appreciation for a sill that we have all taken for granted (given the prices of cheaply cut semi precious stones) In many ways, trying to develop this machine has also really showed me all the nuances of faceting that I don't even think about when cutting a stone by hand. How do you go about preforming your squares or other shapes that cannot simply be rotated freely?
This makes me smile : ) exactly what I envisioned about a year ago trying to learn how to facet gemstones myself. I even bought a digital protractor to attach to my setup so I could more clearly see the angle. Wild to have an idea then find someone that had the same idea and achieved a working final product. : ) too many times I’ve had an idea and a few months later the product comes to life.
Yeah, I think you and I are on a similar path. This project has some what stalled as I ran out of time to work on it but I saw your email and I'll send you a reply as soon as I have some pare time.
Very cool! Suggestions: never start the lap with the stone touching. The stone must sweep the lap. The process must be quicker than a human can do it. Awesome work.
Good Suggestion. I'm learning as I go here ;)
Brilliant DIY! I'm interested in more details, including the motor / electronics you have under the base platform. If you have some links / web site / FB page to share I'd love to ask more questions if possible.
Thanks! I do have a playlist for this machine with 4 videos to date. I think the 2nd one shows some of the guts of the machine. The first video also has links in the description to all of the major components used in the machine. The entire project is constantly changing and I post these videos more of a journal than anything else. I am actually a professional jeweler and building this machine pretty much tapped out my mental recourses when it comes to engineering and electronics... But it has been a fun journey so far. If you wanted to contact me directly, my website has my contact info on it here: earthartgems.com/pages/contact-us At the bottom of that page are also links to all my social media pages. I'll be happy to answer any questions you have.
@@earthartgems Ok will check that one out... had not watched it yet.
Impressive job, although I suppose one issue would be that it doesn't flow across the lap at all during cutting... I suppose that would pre maturely wear out the lap, no doubt.
In later versions the stone moves back and forth so as not to wear a groove in the lap :)
Where did you get it from
I invented this machine from scratch. I have about 5 videos in this series on it. I later sold it to Ryan, owner of www.merlinsgembot.com/
He then took it and has greatly improved the design, adding all sorts of new features and is currently selling them. I think he might be doing a pre-order sale.